The bizarre three-word addresses that could replace regular street names in the UK – and are helping to save lives on isolated Scottish island
The unusual concept divides the entire world up into tiny grids, and gives each its own unique three-word label
A UNIQUE new way of labelling home addresses could replace regular street names in some UK regions.
The bizarre three-word location markers are being used on the tiny Scottish island of Mull - and they could be helping to save lives.
Mull is the first region in the UK to take on the unusual address coding system, which is being used to help emergency doctors locate isolated houses more easily.
Created by British technology company, What3words, the global system divides the world into a grid of 57 trillion 3m x 3m squares, each with a three-word address stored on an app.
The bizarre system is designed to give every location in the world its own pinpoint label to replace postcodes that can cover large areas.
Hoping to eliminate confusion for drivers when addresses cover a broad region, the system could spread to other parts of the country in the future.
And British marquee Jaguar Land Rover have now partnered with the creators of the unusual coding to launch it on the island.
The manufacturer has recently taken a fleet of Land Rovers to deliver unique three-word address plaques to 2,000 properties on the island, many of which are in isolated areas.
It comes after the island's doctor, Brian Prendergast, asked for help to give every home and business a precise address that could provide a faster medical lifeline in emergencies.
Without detailed local knowledge of the island, it can be tough for new members of his team to find individual homes where there are no official street names.
The three-word addresses should help response times for emergency call-outs, as well as improve everyday healthcare on Mull.
Dr. Prendergast said: “Using three-word addresses will vastly improve the ability of doctors and nurses, particularly those new to the island, to locate and assist remote-living patients.
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"We believe it will not only help us deliver a better routine healthcare service, but will save vital minutes in emergency call-outs that could literally save a life.
"The island is really grateful to what3words and Land Rover for putting Mull on the map.”
Chris Thorp, Responsible Business Director, Jaguar Land Rover, said: "Addressing Mull by Land Rover is the ideal way to launch our global humanitarian partnership with what3words, which has the potential to transform isolated communities around the world by making them more accessible."